U-series dating of speleothems from the Sierra del Endrinal (Grazalema Mountains, S Spain).

The uranium-series method is applied to date relic flowstone from karstic mountains in the south of Spain. Geomorphological mapping shows three staircased erosion surfaces with a typical karst landform. Exhumed flowstones fill the surficial palaeosinkholes and open fractures. Some of the samples analysed were impure carbonates consequently the leachate-leachate method was used to obtain activity ratios in the carbonate fraction. The ages obtained range from 34.4 ky to 266 ky and are grouped in four periods: 30-50 ky, 90-110 ky, 150 ky and 230-270 ky. All these periods are related to the warm climate oxygen isotope stages 3 and 5. Practically all locations present secular equilibrium in uranium isotopes.

Neanderthal exploitation of marine mammals in Gibraltar.

Two coastal sites in Gibraltar, Vanguard and Gorham's Caves, located at Governor's Beach on the eastern side of the Rock, are especially relevant to the study of Neanderthals. Vanguard Cave provides evidence of marine food supply (mollusks, seal, dolphin, and fish). Further evidence of marine mammal remains was also found in the occupation levels at Gorham's Cave associated with Upper Paleolithic and Mousterian technologies [Finlayson C, et al. (2006) Nature 443:850-853]. The stratigraphic sequence of Gibraltar sites allows us to compare behaviors and subsistence strategies of Neanderthals during the Middle Paleolithic observed at Vanguard and Gorham's Cave sites. This evidence suggests that such use of marine resources was not a rare behavior and represents focused visits to the coast and estuaries.

Analysis of the recent storm record in the southwestern Spanish coast: implications for littoral management.

This work compares the geomorphologic evolution of the Huelva coast (SW Spain), some climatic-oceanographic data of the Cádiz Gulf and the recent storm record of this zone, covering the last 4 decades (1956-1996). An interesting correlation was found between the southwestern wind periodicity, the number of storm periods and the beach ridges observed in the main spits (El Rompido and Doñana). The spectral analysis of the wind time series permits to establish two most probable levels of periodicity: 6 and 9-10 years. Both periods coincide with the storm record and the creation of new beach ridges after a high-energy period. Beach damage, another storm-induced effect, was analysed by deducing different implications for the future management of tourist localities.